The performance of a crossbow can generally be measured by the speed of the arrow that is being propelled by the crossbow. This speed is dictated primarily by the length of the stroke that the arrow is pushed by the bowstring. Thus, the longer the barrel of the stock of a crossbow, the longer the stroke and faster the arrow resulting in a high performance crossbow.
The facile cocking of a crossbow has always been a problem and the longer stock of high performance crossbows compounds that problem. That is, the longer the stock, the harder it is to cock the crossbow. FIG. 1, to be hereinafter described in more detail, depicts one of the problems associated with cocking a crossbow having a longer stock. Typically, when a crossbow is being cocked, the user places his foot in the stirrup and places the butt end of the crossbow against his torso, usually his chest. Then he bends over and attempts to reach the bowstring so that he can pull it back to be engaged by the trigger. Oftentimes, even the most agile person has trouble reaching the string, as shown in FIG. 1, because of the long stock. But if by chance he is able to grasp it, he is so stooped over that it is difficult to generate the sometimes extreme force necessary to cock a crossbow. Thus, the user who wants a crossbow that is easier to cock does so to the detriment of performance.